Heavy police presence on UEW campus; students shut out

Although students have adhered to the directive by the Central Regional Security Council to leave the campus, some returned after Member of Parliament for the area, Alex Afenyo Markin sent bulk messages telling to return because the situation has been brought under control.

The school was indefinitely shut down yesterday after days of protest by students demanding the reinstatement of some lecturers who were sacked.

Citi News can confirm that although the campus is virtually empty, there is still heavy police presence with only the administrative staff and students from the Sports College on the campus.

Some students preparing to leave spoke tell Citi News, the police officers have been driving them away from the school.

“I was about to leave when I received a message from Afenyo Markin that we should come back because they have finished settling everything. Now, I come here to use the WiFi to download my messages for an assignment but the policeman has stopped us from entering campus. So, now they are not allowing us entry, I have to go home.”

“I was going into the campus but the police is preventing me asking if I am a student here. I answered in the affirmative but he has I have no right to enter this moment. He said the school has been closed now so we have to go home. I was shocked so I told him that our MP has asked us to ask to come back but he said I should tell the MP that he is not the one who runs the school,” another student said.

Two students of the University of Education Winneba have been arrested for defying a directive to vacate campus.

After the school was shut down, students were given up to 6:00 pm on Thursday to vacate the school.

According to DSP Irene Oppong, the Central Regional Police PRO the two male students were arrested in the halls after Police went for routine checks.

She explained that the two were arrested because there were some activities going on after the six pm deadline which could be linked to these two individuals.

“We went round to close the lecture and also their halls [of residence] and in the process, two people were still there after 6 pm and there were some activities going on that we think they could be linked to so that is why they were picked.”

They have been handed over to the Winneba Police Command while investigations continue.

UEW shut down indefinitely after students’ protests turn chaotic

The University of Education, Winneba was on Thursday shut down indefinitely following three-day student protests against the school’s Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni.

The Central Regional Security Council announced the closure of the school after visiting the campus on Thursday morning.

The Central Regional Minister, Kwamina Duncan told the media “on the advice of the Regional Security Council, we cannot allow the university to be in session.”

“Our report is this: every passing day, the level of insecurity increases or escalates,” the minister added.

In the course of the three days of protests, buildings and vehicles have had their windows shattered.

Students also blocked roads and burned tiers amid the protests.

The students say there is a leadership crisis at the school have been demonstrating demanding the reinstatement of some sacked lecturers

The Police were forced to use tear gas to disperse protesting students this morning.

The students in retaliation pelted stones at the police leaving at least one officer injured.

A police reinforcement team was sent from Accra this morning to restore calm on campus.